Stars, Stories, and Stolen Kisses
by ElissaCousland
Summary: Leliana/FemCousland fluff.
1. Stars, Stories, and a Stolen Kiss

Author's Note: This snippet is part of a much longer Leliana-centered fic, called The Rose's Thorn, currently in the works. I may post it, if I ever get it finished. However there is alot of backstory for Leliana, and also for Elissa, so I'm finding it may turn out quite epic in length. I'm looking for a good beta reader or two, who is familiar with DA:O, who doesn't mind Leliana/fwarden pairing, or other yuri pairings of M content. Reviews welcome! Flames will be used to make s'mores. Ps- sorry this is so fluffy, I know, it's practically a _cloud_, but I felt in a romantic mood. ;)

The Rose's Thorn

--Stars, Stories, and a Stolen Kiss--

The bard gazed thoughtfully 'round the campfire. The dying embers glowed softly within their stone prison, casting a warm orange light against her skin. The witch and the male Warden had already retired to their tents. The qunari warrior busily shone the blade of his greatsword to a fine mirror sheen. The drunken dwarf lay passed out in front of his tent. The old Circle Mage finished putting away the pots and pans and quickly said her 'goodnights' to the three. The qunari grunted, without looking up. Elissa gave a small bow, "Goodnight, Wynne," she whispered. Leliana echoed the Warden with her own soft whisper. The mage smiled and wearily retired to her tent, the flap closing silently behind her.

Although Sten was still wakeful, Leliana knew it was not for long. She had watched him perform this ritual every single night. When the blade was clean, and gleamed like new, he would retire, as always. Elissa had first watch tonight. Leliana carefully weighed her choices. She could sleep and get some well-earned rest, which she knew her body desperately needed, or she could stay awake and share some highly-sought-after alone-time with the Warden. Leliana knew she should not be jealous of Alistair, but she could not help herself.

Alistair was a virgin and she knew this was probably his first blush of love. How could he even be certain that it was love, if he had nothing else to compare it to? she often wondered. Leliana at least, had known love, and had lived enough to know that the comforts of the flesh were not always accompanied by love. It was quickly becoming an unspoken race between them to see who would win Elissa's heart.

However, she also knew, or sensed, rather, that Elissa herself was likely a virgin as well. This she shared in common with the male Warden, along with the subconscious connection between them, inspired by their tainted blood. It was a connection the bard was jealous of. Yet still, there were…signs…

It was not anything outright blatant that the bard could put her finger on and say for certain, She is in love with me. Elissa did not fall over herself, fawning after the bard. The clues were subtle, if that was in fact what they were. She would sometimes catch Elissa looking at her. The small, blonde hairs on Elissa's arm would stand to attention whenever their skin touched, however briefly.

She had tried some light, joking flirtations, but these only made the Warden blush furiously, and the bard would wonder if she had taken things too far.

Leliana took a deep breath, allowing the crisp air to fill her lungs with the sweet smell of the grassy countryside. She glanced upward and stared in awe of the Maker's wondrous design. How beautiful the Ferelden sky looked tonight. The moon hung low in the heavens, full and plump. Bright, silvery stars blanketed the deep blue sky, blinking and twinkling in their celestial bed. It reminded her of a story.

She approached the Warden, nervously. Her resolved seemed to melt whenever Elissa was near. The strength in her legs turned to gelatin. Her thoughts tripped over themselves and she often found herself rambling incoherently in Elissa's presence. _Why does she even listen to me?_ Leliana pondered, _I must sound like a babbling fool. Perhaps she believes as Alistair does. Does she think I am crazy? Is she only humoring me?_

Elissa heard the bard approach and turned to face her, smiling warmly.

Before the Warden could speak, Leliana blurted, "The stars are out…"

Elissa's eyes turned skyward. She gazed up for a long moment, before returning her eyes to Leliana. "There is still beauty to be found in this world," the Warden mused.

Leliana took her cue to lead the conversation, as Elissa was not a woman of many words, and often subconsciously deferred to the bard in that department. "It comforts me to know that the stars will remain untouched by the Blight--whatever happens down here, they will shine eternally, their light undimmed."

Leliana pointed just southwest of the large moon to a grouping of stars she recognized as Alindra's Trail. "There is a story about that cluster of stars over there," she said, "Do you know it? Alindra and her soldier?" she asked.

Elissa shook her head, "I can't say I've heard it," she offered. The bard smiled, she loved telling stories, and she loved the way Elissa hung on her every word during their conversations.

"A long time ago," the bard began with a familiarity borne from years of practiced story-telling, "there lived a fair maiden called Alindra. She had many suitors, but spurned them all, for she did not love them."

Elissa silently mused, _I can relate to that at least._ As the bard expertly wove her tale, Elissa's eyes slowly traveled downward from the bard's eyes to zoom in on her soft, pouty lips. Her ears tuned in to every lilt and timbre of that intoxicating Orlesian accent. She had never listened so intently to anyone or anything in her life. She hardly noticed in her peripheral vision when Sten finally retired for the night.

"They say that when Alindra has cried enough, she will be able to cross the river, to be reunited with her soldier," Leliana finished.

Elissa gazed thoughtfully at the constellation, "I'll never look at the stars the same way again," she mused.

Leliana smiled, "This story is one of my favorites, a tale of a love so great and enduring that it defies death, and moves the gods to action."

She paused, waiting for the Warden to respond. When Elissa said nothing, Leliana took a leap of faith, her heart pounding as she wondered what the Warden's response to her question would be. "Sometimes, I ask myself, Does such a love exist? Can it exist?"

Leliana stared meaningfully at the Warden, letting her eyes fill with unspoken emotion, pleading with the Warden to say something, anything.

Elissa's eyes danced with something she desperately felt, Leliana could sense the Warden teetered on the verge of saying something meaningful, but she blinked and the moment passed, and what the Warden said instead of what she had been about to say was, "If we lose hope in love, then we are truly lost."

Disappointed though she was, Leliana was still shocked by the sudden vulnerability in the Warden's words, the falter in her voice. She decided to accept that as a small victory. It was not an _I love you_, but at least the Warden _believed _in love. They could sort through their feelings later, and figure this out, in time.

The last thing Leliana wanted was to push Elissa away by forcing the Warden to name her feelings too quickly. She was not yet completely certain that Elissa was even of the same persuasion. It could be that all her efforts would be for naught and Alistair would eventually win. _Yes_, she thought, _that is the most likely outcome._ Yet still… Leliana could not deny that part of her that was convinced Elissa had been about to say it…

Elissa's brow furrowed and the bard realized she had been silent for a long time. She gathered her thoughts, choosing her words carefully, "I…never expected you to say that. It is…a pleasant surprise."

Elissa smiled just slightly, one corner of her mouth turning upward, a small dimple appeared on that side of her mouth. Leliana thought it was the most adorable thing about her, when she smiled that way.

Elissa blushed. "Don't tell the others I said that," she warned, half-jokingly as she rolled her eyes. The tension between them had been broken by the levity of friendship. Leliana giggled at Elissa's warning

"Of course not. It will be our secret," the bard promised. "I have to say, there is a certain…severity to you. Finding a _person_ behind that all is…nice."

Leliana stepped closer to Elissa and put a hand on her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow at the Warden, "Maybe you should let your softer side show more often," Leliana suggested. Gazing into the Elissa's eyes once more, hoping she was not being too intense she said, "Sometimes, following your _heart_, not your head, leads you to remarkable places…"

Elissa put her hand over Leliana's and squeezed it gently. "That was a wonderful story, my friend. Thank-you. You should get some sleep."

"I am not tired," the bard countered, with a well-concealed lie. She cleverly convinced Elissa to let her recount the tale of Shartan, the old elven king from days of yore. Halfway through her story, they both found the need to rest their weary legs. Elissa pulled her knees up to her chest, and held one wrist in the other hand to keep her arms in place. Leliana sat on her rump, with her long legs stretched out before her. She leaned into Elissa's body. Her words slowly trickled off, interspersed with long, weary yawns. After long, she became even less coherent, and finally, fell asleep leaning into the Warden, who had let the bard into the circle of her arms.

Elissa held Leliana silently for a long time. She was torn. Should she put her in her tent and risk waking her? Or should she just watch the beautiful woman sleep?

Elissa gently placed her down on the ground. She rose to her feet, entered her tent and hurriedly gathered together enough furs for a comfortable bedroll. After she was certain everything was in place, she approached the sleeping bard. She knelt beside her and placed her left arm under Leliana's neck and shoulders. She put her right arm under the bard's knees.

The Warden raised with her legs, easily hefting what little weight there was to the bard. Leliana stirred slightly, putting her arm around Elissa's neck, and nestling her face in the Warden's shoulder. "Mmmnnhh" she muttered sleepily.

Elissa set her down on the bedroll. She unlaced the bard's small boots and gently removed them. Then, taking the last fur , she covered her body, pulling it up to Leliana's neck, so she could not possibly catch a chill. She leaned over her and let her lips just barely touch the bard's forehead. "Sleep well, my dear friend," she whispered. A pang of longing seized her heart as she uttered the last word. _Friend_ just didn't seem right. Not for the things she was feeling. But what else could she do? Leliana was a _Chantry sister_, for Maker's sake!

It was nearly daybreak when Leliana finally woke. She felt a presence nearby and glanced up to see Elissa, ever watchful, sitting beside her. She looked carefully at the Warden's face and noticed the small dark circles beneath her eyes which told she had not slept at all. Leliana took closer notice of her surroundings and realized that Elissa had tucked her into bed, for she recalled falling asleep on the bare grass, in the Warden's arms, not in a bedroll, with her boots removed and a fur blanket to cover her.

She also vaguely recalled a sense of being lifted and the close, fruity smell of Andraste's Grace. She knew that in Ferelden it was a common wildflower used in many soaps and other such things. She smiled, realizing the Warden smelled of her mother's favorite flower. Elissa had given her a bouquet of it that she had found in the Brecilian Wilds. It was the first time they had touched for more than a brief second, when Leliana threw her arms around the Warden's neck in gratitude.

The reaction from the others had been interesting to Leliana. Morrigan had watched on with mild curiosity. Leliana had seen Alistair's hands ball into fists at his side, though he knew better than to say anything to Elissa about it. The very next day, right in the middle of their encampment, Alistair had ballsily presented Elissa with a red rose. She accepted it awkwardly, as if it was completely unexpected. She had shot a look back at Leliana that the bard had been unable to read.

Neither of them had since spoken of the rose, and it _seemed _that Elissa was trying to distance herself from Alistair. Leliana could only hope that her instinct was right about this.

Elissa spent most of her spare time listening to the bard's stories and it made Leliana feel…loved.

The fact that she knew Elissa watched over her as she slept made her feel…safe.

Except for the electric tension that could often be felt in the air between them, for the most part, Leliana felt comfortable around Elissa. It was strange to have all these feelings again, after all that she had been through, but she thanked the Maker for those feelings, and most of all, for Elissa.

Leliana sat up and stretched. Elissa glanced over her shoulder at the bard. "Good morning, Leliana," she said, smiling.

Leliana smiled back, "Oh? Did I fall asleep again?," she asked innocently, "Did I finish the tale?"

Elissa smiled her cute, half-smile, exposing her dimple, "Fear not, dear bard, I've heard that one before," she assured Leliana. The pair sat in silence and watched the sun rise over the Ferelden plain.


	2. Archery Lesson

-Archery Lesson-

We made camp early that afternoon. Elissa had decided we would wait till morning to begin our trek to look for the Urn of the Sacred Ashes. I could not have agreed more. Nor could anyone else. We were certainly not eager to freeze our collective bums off.

I sat on a stump, cleaning the darkspawn blood from one of my daggers, when I felt her presence. I had heard her approach, of course, but I did not want _her_ to know that. At least not yet. I had spoken to Wynne about her the other night. It had been an _interesting_ conversation, to say the least.

"That's a beautiful bow," she said, as she took a seat on the ground next to me, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. We spoke often and I had noticed that it was her favorite way to sit while I regaled her with my wondrous tales. I smiled my best, warm, friendly smile, the one I used just for her.

"Thank you, it was my mother's bow," I told her. She cocked her head, her brows furrowed, and I had to suppress the urge to kiss her right then and there. She had absolutely no idea how cute she could be. " Was she a battle-maiden?" she asked, the curiosity clear in her voice.

"No," I replied, "but we were poor. My father was a Tevinter soldier and he taught my mother how to hunt." I gave her a small shrug to punctuate that it was no big deal. I shook my head, "Otherwise, we would have starved…as I'm sure many peasants do." Her face softened then. "I'm sorry," she said in a voice so low it could have been a whisper. I glanced at her then. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, shiny, full of tears, ready to spill. It was as if she was apologizing for being high-born. I felt my heart swell for her. I had never known many a noble to be so…kind, so gentle. It had been my life's experience that money and power corrupted even the best of intents.

I shook my head again, "Don't be sorry, Elissa," I assured her. "You could not help the life you were born into any more than I could." She nodded in acknowledgement, but continued to stare at the ground. I decided to change tactics. "Would you like to try it?" I invited her.

She looked up at me then. "May I?" she asked, as if my permission meant everything in the world to her. I smiled my only-for-Elissa-smile. "Of course."

She smiled in return and the tears that had been threatening, had all but vanished, replaced by a bright twinkle of joy. _Maker's Breath! _I thought to myself. She was so beautiful, and even more so when she smiled like that.

She stood and walked over to where I had laid the bow. I placed my clean dagger on the ground, next to the other one that was still dirty. I led her out to a small, secluded clearing a bit away from the camp. "For safety's sake", I told her. The Maker's honest truth was, I just wanted to be alone with her, long enough to tell her how I felt about her. Or at least, perhaps, just for a bit of shameless flirting.

I know what you are thinking. So before you even say it, let me just say that I could not take it anymore. I could not take the long, meaningful (meaningless?) stares, the heartfelt words followed by awkward silences, the -almost- casual touches, a hand on my arm to comfort me, a "friendly" hug when I would feel sad. So you must forgive me, but I felt it was time to force her hand, or call her bluff. This was either going to go very, very well…or…at least I would know where I stood.

We stood at the far end of the clearing. Elissa tested the bow and raised an eyebrow at me. "The draw weight is…unexpected…this is no _target_ bow," she said, sounding more than a bit surprised. I shrugged and tried to look coy. "I may be small," I said in a matter-of-fact tone, "but that doesn't mean I'm not strong,"

She smirked, and nodded, "Definitely," she said in agreement. She took an arrow from my quiver which lay on the ground. The strap had been too small for her, as her shoulders were much broader than mine. She knocked the arrow, lay it on the arrow rest, and then glanced at me, expectantly.

I sidled up next to her in my best version of a sexy walk, flaunting my long legs, swaying my hips deliberately, and by Andraste's Grace, it worked! It actually _worked_! Her stunning hazel eyes were suddenly fixated on my every movement. The path her eyes traveled was the one I had laid out for them. Legs first…then slowly upward to the hips…and of course up higher to my ample breasts…and finally…her eyes rested on mine for just a moment before she quickly turned away. I continued my deliberate sexy-walk, while her face, ears, and neck turned a deep, bright red.

_Aha! Caught you! Do you like what you see?_ I thought to myself, biting my lip to keep the wide grin off of my face.

"Where-? Uh, Where should I shoot?" she asked nervously. I got up to her as close as I could without actually touching her body with mine. Just close enough to let her feel the warmth from my skin. I gently placed only the fingertips of my right hand on her back, and pointed with my left, leaning my head close to hers. "Do you see that large Ironbark, about a hundred paces from us?" I asked, all business now, no teasing. She sighted down my finger, squinting, then nodded. "Eighty-three, " she said, "give or take an inch."

I just looked at her. I think my jaw actually hung open in amazement. She just shrugged it away, off-handedly. "I may be high-born," she said, "but that doesn't mean I'm just a spoiled princess"

_Touche', my Warden, Touche'._

She drew the bow back, paused for aim, and released cleanly. Seconds later, my arrow found it's mark in the trunk of the Ironbark. I crossed my arms and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Not bad," I said, " but can you do it again?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "Not likely," she admitted, looking a bit sheepish, "Mother was…disappointed when she found that I did not have the right….aptitude…for that"

"I knew it!" I shouted, shoving her playfully on the shoulder, "That was just a lucky shot!"

She shrugged. "I can hit a target, all right, just don't ask me to hit the same place, twice," she said.

"Why not?" I asked, "That's what an archer _does_!"

She grinned again, "I suppose that's why I took up the sword," she mused, knocking another arrow.

"No…it's easy, " I said, trying to assure her. "Here, let me show you." I moved that last inch closer to her so our bodies were touching. I placed my left hand over hers where it rested on the handgrip, and felt her shiver slightly when our skin touched. _Oh, this is going to be fun! _I thought, placing my right hand over hers as she drew the arrow back.

I leaned into her and whispered in her ear, letting my lips just barely brush against her ear, as I whispered in a low, husky voice, "Now…close your eyes…and clear your mind of all thought…there is only _you_, and the _target_…you… _are …_the bow…"

Suddenly, she eased up on her draw, giggling and looked at me from the corner of eye, "This is too silly…" she insisted. "No, no…"I replied, "trust me, It'll work." She glanced at me sidelong for another moment. She cleared her throat, but I had to wait a few more moments until all of the snickers were gone. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and drew the bow once more. I coached her through the proper breathing techniques, and laid the halladung on generously, priming her for the _coup de grace_… Once I was certain she was ready, I said, still whispering, "Do you remember where the target is?"

She gave a small nod in response. "Open your eyes," I told her. "Now, release!"

She did not ever have a chance.

No sooner was the word out of my mouth, then my tongue quickly darted out to lightly flick her earlobe.

"Hah!" she gave a startled yelp and nearly jumped three feet into the air. The arrow was lost somewhere in the stand of trees. Her eyes were wide with surprise and it took her a moment to realize why I was laughing so hard.

"You-you did that on purpose!" she exclaimed, bewildered. I couldn't stifle the giggles enough to give her a proper response. The next moment, her weight slammed into me and I found myself on the ground staring up at her. She was straddling my waist and holding my arms down with her hands. I found it was my turn to blush. Well, it was _kind of _what I had been wanting…but not…_exactly_…

"Oh, I'll give you a _reason_ to laugh, my dear bard," she promised, and then began to tickle my ribs mercilessly.


	3. Kiss

-Kiss-

"I enjoy the nights at camp, the night always seems more peaceful to me. Safer," Leliana mused. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, shuffling them nervously in an awkward dance. I wondered if she was even aware she did this. She wrung her hands, her lovely, delicate fingers entwining themselves over and again. She was most definitely nervous.

I thought I might know why, but the question remained as of yet, unspoken between us. I kept my voice as neutral as I could as I replied with non-committal words. Why couldn't I just say it myself? Why couldn't I just stride up to her, take her face in my hands, and kiss her, as I've been wanting to for weeks now? "It's just quieter, that's all." I shrugged.

"I feel the night grants us a reprieve from the troubles of the day. Silly, isn't it? The darkspawn never sleep, and they lurk in the shadows," she lamented with unmasked self-deprecation. Her cherry brows furrowed, her gaze lowered to the ground.

The crafty little bard had grown on me since Lothering. The attraction had been instant, at least for me. I dismissed it as lust at first, then friendship, but now…it was undeniable anymore. I loved her. My voice softened suddenly, my heart filling with the familiar warmth. "It is not silly to seek moments to lay down your burdens," I said, trying to soothe.

Success. She raised her gaze to mine again. She smiled at me. " I enjoy those nights when we stand guard together, talking to pass the time in those small hours…" her voice carried a note of tender admiration as she began to ramble on. I smiled in my heart, I did not dare interrupt for I loved that thick Orlesian accent that made everything she said sound like sensual whispers in the dark.

"… Well, I talk, and you listen, mostly…Sometimes I succumb and fall asleep, and wake to find you still watchful, and I know you're watching out for me,"

She paused, awaiting my answer, patiently.

I gathered my thoughts. My head told me to say, _I'd be a terrible leader if you died on my watch_. Wynne's advice had been to tell her. That I must find my nerve, and just _tell_ her. "You never have to feel afraid with me," I whispered softly, recalling how she had practically been a slave to the other woman, her former lover. For a moment, anger flashed at the thought of Marj-…but she was dead, so I let it go.

Leliana shifted again. Her cream skin flushed nearly as red as her hair. She wiped her hands on her nightdress. "What I'm trying to say is…that I trust you. I'm comfortable around you. I know you'll be there, when I need you…"

I did not believe it was possible, but her face turned even more red. She stuttered. A small part of me begged her to say it. Yes it was selfish. I wanted to hear her say it, so that I wouldn't have to.

"…You are our…our leader, and my friend…and sometimes I think that m-maybe we could be…more than that," here I raised my brows. What did she mean by 'more than friends' ? Lovers? My heart fluttered. "…Maker, look at me…stumbling over my words like an ill-educated peasant-girl…some bard I am."

_Alright, Cousland, time to turn up the charm_, I thought to myself. Not that I was ever very good at it…or maybe the servant-maids back in Highever had simply been more interested in my _brother_. Except for Iona…Lady Landra's maid had been easy to charm. Willing, eager even. We had not gotten far, though, before Sabre had started barking.

My thoughts returned to the woman before me, nervously waiting for me to say something. I felt my charm-smile ease my lips upward, and knew my dimple showed. I ducked my head slightly, trying to look up at her, which was difficult, she's a head shorter than I am. "You know," I said, deliberately lowering the pitch of my voice, trying to give it a 'bedroom' sound, "you're cute when you're embarrassed."

She flushed again, "I'm not embarrassed!" she lied, "I'm just…_flushed_, because…of the…heat…"

_Hallashit._ I thought, raising a brow. I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her a look that I hoped conveyed that I knew that she knew that I knew it was such. Out here, in her shift, in the cool night air, she was "flushed" because of the "heat"…Riiiiiiggghht…

I tried a different tack. If flirting didn't work, then perhaps a compliment would. "Someone like you being interested in me is flattering," I stated, hoping she wouldn't be so stubborn as to ask what I meant by 'someone like her'.

Confusion furrowed her lovely brows. "What? Are you saying I have bad taste?" she asked, "Why can't I like you?" She then began to prattle off the reasons she did 'like' me. "You're a good person, a great listener, a remarkable warrior…"

"Flattery will get you everywhere," I said mockingly. She ignored me and continued, "you often show signs of intelligence…" I raised my brows at this, "Do I?" She nodded, "…and you're fairly good-looking…"

I pouted, jutting out my bottom lip, "Only _fairly_ so?" Her cheeks turned the same deep color of her lips. "…most of your facial features are in the right place…" she said, voice trailing off at the last. She looked at me, expectantly.

"Are they?" I asked, teasing, "You know…you're really_ bad _at this wooing thing…" I smirked. We both laughed together, and I could feel the tension ease away from her. When the giggles subsided, I found myself comfortable. I loved making her laugh.

"I've always wanted us to be more than just friends, Leli". The look on her face was priceless. Utter incredulity. Her eyes were impossibly wide, her brows raised, her mouth hung open slightly before she caught herself

"Really? N-no one told me…Y-you felt the same way? And didn't do me the courtesy of informing me?"

_Oops_. I supposed she had every right to be mad. _What kind of a coward am I not to tell her all this time?_ I tried not to let my body shrink in on itself.

She continued to scold me, " You…made me say…all those things… Why couldn't _you_ have said them first? I-you, oh, how very awkward!"

_Akward? But, she just got done saying…_ "I thought you were comfortable around me," I countered. She flushed again and stammered, "Y-yes, but…d-don't question me!" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, when she opened them, her blue eyes were steady and met mine without flinching. "I am a woman, and I reserve the right to be inconsistent." she stated confidently. She sighed mostly to herself and muttered under her breath, but we were close enough I still heard. "Oh, why am I being such a baby about this? I must be a sight, spilling my guts."

_Oh just shut up already! _I could not hold back a frustrated sigh of my own. This would go on all night, if I didn't stop her from rambling. Adrenaline pumped through me as I closed the distance between us. Tension filled the air. She turned her head up to meet my gaze. I placed my hand on her cheek and the other I ran through her hair to cup the back of her head. Her eyelids lowered, her lips pursed. I leaned down. Our lips met…

* * *

"I enjoy the nights at camp, the night always seems more peaceful to me. Safer," I mused. I was nervous. I wondered if she could tell. I absently wrung my hands together just to give them something to do. There was something unspoken between us. I wanted to confront her on this. The line between friendship and…something more…would we cross it? Together? I knew it was silly, selfish even, to let myself fall in love with her. She had more pressing duty, the Blight, than to worry about silly things like love.

"It's just quiter, that's all," she shrugged. This was going nowhere fast. I would have to be on my game if I wanted to get her to confess anything, since she chose to be so non-committal. "I feel the night grants us a reprieve from the troubles of the day. Silly, isn't it? The darkspawn never sleep, and they lurk in the shadows," I lamented, and lowered my gaze to the ground. Better not to meet her eyes if she did think I was silly for such thoughts.

"It is not silly to seek moments to lay down your burdens," she said, in a soothing tone. I met her eyes and smiled at her, " I enjoy those nights when we stand guard together, talking to pass the time in those small hours…Well, I talk, and you listen, mostly…Sometimes I succumb and fall asleep, and wake to find you still watchful, and I know you're watching out for me," I paused, hoping she would take the chance to reply. _Damnation, say something! _

Her voice was tender as she whispered, "You never have to feel afraid with me,". I felt myself flush, I was probably as red as my own hair. I wiped my sweaty hands on the bottom of my nightdress. "What I'm trying to say is…that I trust you. I'm comfortable around you. I know you'll be there, when I need you…" For a moment, my thoughts turned bitterly to Marj-…but she was dead, so I let it go.

I felt my cheeks burn with the knowledge of what I wanted to say next. My words faltered on my tongue, "…You are our…our leader, and my friend…and sometimes I think that m-maybe we could be…more than that," She raised her brows. Was she really going to make me say all of this? What kind of a coward was she?

I tried a different tack. Perhaps my knight would rescue me, if I appeared flustered enough. "…Maker, look at me…stumbling over my words like an ill-educated peasant-girl…some bard I am."

She ducked her head and looked up at me from beneath her brows with a most devious half-smile, a single dimple on the side of her mouth. For a moment I saw a flash of the mischievous child she had been, the one that had her papa wrapped around her finger, and had given her mother no small amount of grief. Yet now, the mischief in her eyes was serious, more…adult. "You know," she said, her voice gone low and husky, "you're cute when you're embarrassed."

"I'm not embarrassed!" I blurted, lying. "I'm just…_flushed_, because…of the…heat…" One glance at her raised brow, crossed arms, and that _look_, told me that she knew that I knew that she knew it was hallashit. Out here in the cool night breeze in only my shift, I was "flushed" because of the "heat"…Riiiiigggghht…

Her face turned serious then. "Someone like you being interested in me is flattering," Ah, so the invincible warrior _was_ actually capable of vulnerability. The tables had turned. It was _my_ time to tease _her_. "What? Are you saying I have bad taste?" I admonished, "Why can't I like you?" I then began to prattle off the reasons I did 'like' her. "You're a good person, a great listener, a remarkable warrior…"

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she said, smartly, She was mocking me. I ignored her and continued, "you often show signs of intelligence…" She raised her brows at this, "Do I?" she asked, with mock incredulity. I nodded, "…and you're fairly good-looking…"

She pouted exaggeratedly, pursing her bottom lip. "Only _fairly_ so?" she asked with false disappointment. I flushed again, and cursed the Maker for my fair skin. The warrior had grown on me since Lothering. The attraction had been instant, at least for me. I dismissed it as lust at first, then friendship, but now…it was undeniable anymore. I loved her. _Curse and damnation Elissa! No, not only fairly so! You know you're incredibly…incredibly… _"…most of your facial features are in the right place…" I managed, weakly, voice trailing off at the last. I held her gaze and waited.

"Are they?" she asked, teasing, "You know…you're really_ bad _at this wooing thing…" she smirked. We both laughed. I felt the tension of the moment slip away. When the giggles subsided, she spoke softly.

"I've always wanted us to be more than just friends, Leli" she confessed. I was dumbstruck. I stared at her in awe, "Really? N-no one told me…" I mulled it over for a moment, and found it pissed me off a little. I wanted to wipe that smirk off her face with a well-timed slap. Why did we have to play these silly games? Why could she not have said so? "Y-you felt the same way?" I demanded, "And didn't do me the courtesy of informing me?"

She looked properly sheepish, almost cowering before me, though the warrior in her hid it well. "You…made me say…all those things… Why couldn't _you_ have said them first? I-you, oh, how very awkward!"

Her brows knit in confusion, "I thought you were comfortable around me," she reasoned. _Oh Maker's Breath, Elissa! Shut up and kiss me already! _"Y-yes, but…d-don't question me!" I stammered. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, when I opened them, I felt a bit more steady and met her gaze without flinching. "I am a woman, and I reserve the right to be inconsistent." I stated confidently. I sighed and muttered under my breath, but we were close enough I knew she still heard me. "Oh, why am I being such a baby about this? I must be a sight, spilling my guts."

She gave a sigh of frustration, as she closed the distance. I had to turn my head upward to look at her she was standing so close. My throat dried suddenly. My heart fluttered as her one hand caressed my cheek and the other slid up through my hair to hold the back of my head. I closed my eyes as she leaned down. Our lips met…

* * *

Sparks danced equally along both women's bodies when their lips met. Elissa's kiss began as chaste, but the bard demanded more, forcing her mouth farther open. She sought the Warden's tongue and shivered with desire when she found it, moaning softly into her mouth. She teased it to life with her own, and the Warden's kiss became more forceful. Leliana's hands held firmly to Elissa's face, keeping them both lip-locked, she refused to let the Warden pull away, though Elissa had no intent of it. The kiss escalated into something desperate, each woman's actions driving the other's passion in a lusty duel of repressed need. They cared not who watched on.

Leliana moaned and used her tongue expertly. Elissa was less finesse and more passion as though she was trying to drown herself in the taste of Leliana. In the heat of the moment, their bodies had molded into each other, the only thing keeping them two separate beings were Elissa's nightshirt which hung to mid-thigh, and Leliana's slip of a nightgown.

"T'would have been courteous to as _least_ wait until I've retired to my tent, than to sicken me with such a sight so soon after I've supped," Morrigan bitched, heading into her tent and closing the flap behind her. The girls stood nearest her tent than any of the others. They often talked late into the night and it was second nature for them to seek out a private place away from the main camp. That of course put them directly in the witch's line of sight. _Has she been watching this whole time?_ The bard wondered. Elissa apparently did not hear her, or just simply did not care. Her tongue fought desperately with Leliana's. Leliana, quick as a cat, caught Elissa's tongue with her lips. She suckled on it, suggestively. Elissa paused. She broke the kiss, desperate now for air. She panted heavily, and stared at the bard. Leliana's brows shot up. "Oh, come now, Elissa. Don't tell me you've never Orlesian-kissed before."

Elissa moved in again, this time mimicking what the bard had done. The familiar sensation drove Leliana wild with lust. It was she who pulled away, satisfied now that their long-silent question had been well answered.

"Well, I…hmmm, that settles it, then." she stated bemusedly. She reached up on her toes and planted a quick kiss on Elissa's cheek. "Goodnight," she sing-songed, walking back to her own tent. Elissa was left to stand there watching the way her slip moved as her small hips swayed. _Good night, indeed…_


	4. One Morning At Camp

-One Morning At Camp-

Elissa Cousland sat on a log, sharpening her sword. The early morning sun warmed her face. Suddenly, she heard something. _Ohhhhh…. _

She paused. Was that? No, it couldn't be. Just her imagination. She went back to sharpening her sword. The meditative rhythym of whetstone and blade helped her focus her thoughts. But then, there it was again. _Mmmmm…._

She glanced around. Alistair was looking at her with a quizzical expression. She shrugged her shoulders at him, then went back to work.

_Oh yes! _The voice came again, louder this time. It was coming from within Leliana's tent. _Please_, her sensual voice appealed, _I want more…_

By now everyone was out of their tents and gathered in front of the bard's tent. They exchanged puzzled glances as the sounds coming from Leliana's tent became more and more lewd. _Ohhhh…it's sooo goood…, _she said, followed by a giggling squeal.

Zevran wondered aloud, "I wonder who her _lucky_ companion is." Every one looked around at each other and realized they were all accounted for. The bard was alone in her tent.

Alistair spoke in a soft whisper, his question directed at his fellow Warden. "Um…doesn't the Chantry _frown_ on that sort of thing?" his face and neck turned scarlet.

Loud rustling sounds came from within the tent. Everyone suddenly found something else to catch their attention as Leliana emerged from her tent. "What are you all doing here?" she asked. Everyone turned and stared at her.

"What?" she asked, "What are you all looking at?" They all looked around at nothing in particular. The bard sauntered over to her friend.

"Oh, Elissa, I just had the most _wonderful_ dream," she confessed.

"Did you?" Elissa asked, blushing nervously.

"Mmm-hm," Leliana nodded, "My mother made me a batch of her homemade special recipe double-double-chocolate chip cookies!" she squealed with delight. Elissa looked stunned. She cleared her throat loudly.

"Cookies!?" Alistair squeaked in a high-pitched voice, " All _that_ was about _cookies_?!"

"What's wrong Alistair?" Leliana asked, "You look pale."

"I-uh…have to take a swim. A cold swim, y-yes, that'll help…" he muttered as he wandered toward the stream.

Elissa called after him, "Me too, Al, right behind you," she hurriedly fell into step with the other Warden.


	5. Shopping

-Shopping-

"Tell me again, _why_ this is necessary?" the large qunari demanded. Leliana tilted her head, glancing up at him with unmasked glee. "It will be fun! Is that not reason enough…"

"No," he answered sternly. Leliana giggled. "Oh, it will be so much fun, Sten, and I know you will accompany me, because beneath that stoic warrior, you are just one great, big…"

The qunari's lip curled up in a menacing snarl, a warning the Sister had no intent of heeding.

"…softie!…" she called, giggling a happy squeal as she easily dodged his attempt to snatch her. "La, la la, la la," she hummed, skipping along the cobblestone, ahead of the rest of the group, her lilting voice floating pleasantly on the air. Her lithe body glided gracefully down the street. She looked as though she were dancing.

"Wow." Alistair stated, "she _really_ likes shopping, doesn't she?" He asked his fellow Warden. Elissa shrugged, "After all she's been through, would you deny her this one, simple pleasure?" His eyes lowered, "No, I suppose, not…" he stared after the bard, then turned back to Elissa, "…but still, I mean, I _told_ you she was a little…you know…" he twirled a finger in circles near his temple for emphasis. Elissa's fist connected with his bicep. "Shut up, Alistair!"

"Ow! Okaaayyy…just don't hit me anymore." he pleaded, rubbing his sore arm. _Maker's Breath, she's violent when it comes to Leliana… I should __**not**__ say anything like that again._

"I see no harm in it," Morrigan acknowledged, "so as long as she does _not_ keep to her promise of buying me a _dress._" Elissa laughed at that, "Me too, Morrigan, I'm with you on that one!" The witch stopped and stood there with her hands on her hips, "I am not joking. I have absolutely no intent to undress before her. She undresses me with her eyes too much already!"

Elissa smirked, blushing a bit. "Well, who can blame her," she glanced to Alistair, who nodded, as if for agreement on the matter, "I mean…your, kinda…_hot_…in a way." Elissa's blush went from pink to bright red. Morrigan's brow knit in confusion, " Hot, am I?" Her eyes narrowed at both Wardens, unsure whether or not to be insulted. A small electric charge pulsed to life from her fingertips and gathered in her palm.

Wynne stepped up from behind and put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "It means, my dear, that they find you _very_ attractive."

"Yeah…" Oghren slurred, already drunk and adding to his state with a quick tip of his ever-present flask. "Yer _hot_…for a surfacer." The ground trembled under Shayle's weighted steps, she placed an enormous hand near Morrigan's torso. "Curious…I feel no _heat _emanating from The Witch."

Laughter filled the square. "Shut up! All of you!" She turned on her heel and stormed off toward the Market district. Zevran managed to look pained as she walked away. He held a hand to his chest, feigning heartbreak. He sighed exaggeratedly. "Oh, how I hate to see her leave…" he leaned in to the group and muttered in his most lecherous tone, "…but how I _love_ to watch her _go_…" The group broke out into peals of wild laughter.

{The Wonders of Thedas}

The shopkeep's eyes widened. He held the bow carefully. He gave a slow, respectful whistle as he looked it over. It was the most beautiful recurve he had ever seen. The Dragonthorn wood was masterfully carved, replete with delicate inlays along the grip. He tested the longbow, drawing the string back a few times. He carefully set it on the counter, between himself and the pretty little red-haired Orlesian. "I'll give ya twenty for it,"

She frowned at him, shaking her head. "It's worth more than that, I'll just take it over to the weapon smith."

The shopkeep scratched his head, "Ah…fine, twenty-five." Leliana crossed her arms. "Forty," she insisted. He narrowed his eyes at her, sizing her up. He knew the bow was worth every copper. If he got it cheap enough, he could turn a nice profit. "Thirty," he offered. Leliana put her hand on the grip, and turned to walk away. "Ah…wait…," he ran his hands through his filthy hair. "You drive a hard bargain, missy. I'll give you thirty-five." She smiled sweetly at him as he filled a small pouch with sovereigns and handed to her. He took the bow from the counter and placed it on the rack behind him.

Sten loomed over the baker's goods. His scrutinizing gaze fell upon the sweetened pastries and confections. His brows wrinkled. "C-c-can I help you…S-Ser?" the baker stuttered. The qunari looked down at the small, fat, human. "Have you any…" his voice trailed off, he had forgotten the word. He made a gesture with both hands, bringing his thumbs and forefingers together in a giant circle.

"Cupcakes?" the baker asked. Sten's eyes narrowed. The baker pointed to an array of frosted breads with rounded tops. They were not what the Sten required. He grunted and shook his head. "Muffins?" the baker offered, showing the qunari another selection. Sten made the circle-gesture with his hands again. Then he gestured with one hand setting his thumb under his forefinger, giving the approximate thickness.

"Ah! Cookies!" A small smile came to the warrior's face. The baker plied his trade. "We have butter cookies, sugar cookies, chocolate chip-"

"All," Sten said, flatly.

"All?" the baker looked bewildered. "Which ones?" he asked

"_**All**_." Sten's face was a mask of utter sincerity.

"Y-yes Ser! All of them, right away Ser!" the baker set to gathering all the cookies he had baked that morning into one large sack for the giant.

Shayle held the crystals in her massive hands. She looked from one hand to the other. She raised both clusters of crystal to her shoulders, and turned around to face Leliana. "What does the Sister think? The green ones? Or the purple ones?"

Leliana giggled. Shayle looked as if she was trying to decide between a pair of earrings! _How sweet!_ "Well, the purple ones are Amethyst, so they protect against spirit damage," she offered. The golem weighed her words, then turned back to look at the crystals laid out before her. The shop worker stared in silent awe of the golem. Leliana could not blame him. Few in Ferelden had ever seen such a creature.

Morrigan stood at the far corner of the enormous gift shop. Her arms were crossed over chest. Her amber eyes searched the jewelry rack. There were many beautiful precious and semi-precious baubles. Leliana made her way over there. Morrigan held the golden, jewel-encrusted mirror with great care. She admired her image while Leliana looked on.

"It is a beautiful mir-" the bard began.

"Ow! Hey! Watch it, Shorty!" Alistair complained. He stood on one foot, holding the other tenderly in his hands. On the floor between him and Oghren, lay a barrel of ale, which they were apparently trying to roll out the door. "Oh, sod off, ya little Nancy-boy!" the dwarf muttered. He took over rolling the keg out the door by himself.

"Oh, poor Alistair! He's such a klutz!" Leliana felt pity for the man. He had the worst luck of anyone she had ever met. Morrigan, took a moment from gazing at herself to roll her eyes at the bard's comment. "He's a _fool_," the witch corrected. Leliana bit her tongue, she knew there was no way to win the argument.

She walked over to him. "How is your foot?" she asked with genuine concern. "Al-Alright, I guess," he conceded. "It's not broken…_barely_." he complained, setting his foot back down. "You know, he shouldn't be allowed to drive that thing without a license! He nearly ran me over!" Leliana hugged him like a mother would coddle a crying child. "Oh, what will make it better, hmm?" she mock-consoled him. "Well…." he began, as he led her over to small shelf adorned with miniature statuettes, "I was thinking about this…"

He picked up a dragon figurine and turned it over in his hands. Leliana noted the marvelous design. The carving was impeccable. Every scale, every sinew stood out in perfectly detailed clarity. The statuette seemed to come to life, roaring back at her in silent defiance, it's wings spread, tail curling around it's body.

"_Real_ men don't play with _toys_," Zevran chided him, "unless they are of the two-legged and _female_ variety…" he cast an approving glance at the bard, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. She ignored him. "It's not a toy! It's a figure!" Alistair insisted. "_My_ toys are decidedly more…_deadly_…" the elf said, producing a wicked-looking dagger. It was Leliana's turn to glance approvingly. The blade was about a foot and a half long, consisting of three vicious waves, serrated along both edges. It would gut a Hurlock with surprising ease.

Wynne perused the bookshelves, pulling a tome down and thumbing through a few pages, then putting it back and selecting another. This one seemed to hold her interest. Leliana read the words along the spine: **Dragon's Blood: Potions, Tinctures and Spicy Sauces**. _Hmm, maybe supper will have some flavor tonight! _She sighed wistfully. She loved her friends, really, she did…but oh,…how she missed Orlesian cuisine. Granted, Fereldens could do much with what little herbs grew in this climate, but the meals were a far cry from the succulent, mouth-watering Orlesian dishes she had grown up with.

Her reverie dissolved when Elissa's visage came into sight. The Warden cocked her head. "What are you smiling about?" she asked curiously. Leliana smiled warmly for her, remembering their kiss. " Just looking forward to a tasty supper, but perhaps it's only wishful thinking." Elissa grimaced, "I think it is…Alistair's turn tonight…"

Leliana sighed with remorse. "Ah, well… what shall I gift to you, my love?" Elissa blushed. "I-I don't want anything." Leliana considered her words. "Such self-sacrifice cannot go unrewarded. It would be sin," she chided, jokingly, "but not to worry, I will think of something…" she gave Elissa a peck on the lips and wandered off.

Elissa burned deep red as she watched the bard saunter off to find a shop employee. Everyone in camp had seen them kiss, but the people in the shop were _strangers_. Maybe things were different in Orlais, but Fereldens did not speak openly about this sort of love, let alone engage in such _public_ displays of affection! She felt her face burn and tried to ignore the looks from the employees and other patrons. Leliana was talking to female worker, and they were speaking Orlesian. She moved closer to hear them, even though she knew she wouldn't understand any of it.

The shop worker spoke, the Orlesian words rolling easily off her tongue. "{ I recognize your accent…Orlesian?}"

Elissa guessed she must be a native Orlesian, a rarity here since Denerim was so far from the Ferelden/Orlesian border. Leliana replied and Elissa realized she had never heard the bard speak more than a few words at a time in Orlesian. "{Yes, but my mother was a Ferelden}"

When Leliana said _Ferelden_, the effect on the Grey Warden was undeniable. Something stirred deep within her body. She absently bit her lip. She listened intently for the bard's every word. The shop girl spoke, her words ending with an upward inflection, as though asking a question. "{How may I be of assistance?}"

Leliana began to say something, but paused for a moment. It seemed to Elissa she was perhaps searching for the right words. "{Do you sell… love accessories?}" Elissa noticed Leliana blushed a little, her cheeks turning a pale shade of pink.

The shopgirl smiled, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "{Ah, yes ... We have oils, creams, herbs…}"

Leliana fiddled her hands together, her fingers picking absently at her nails. "{I was thinking more along the lines of _functional_ equipment…}" the bard said. She tilted her head in Elissa's direction. The shopgirl followed, eyes settling on Elissa. A sly smile crept onto her lips, her eyes darting back to Leliana.

"{Ah, yes, yes, I see ... she is beautiful, no?}" the shopgirl commented. Leliana looked back over her shoulder. She smiled at the Warden. "{She is my heart}". When Leliana returned her attention to the shopgirl, she was walking towards a large dark curtain that fell all the way to the floor. "{Come right this way, I believe we have something that will suit your…needs…}" she said.

Elissa watched the two women leave. She headed to the front of the shop where the women's wear was.

Camp was alive with laughter, song - Alistair's terrible attempts to play the lyre, combined with Ogrhen's burly voice- and a generally jovial mood. The companions exchanged jokes and stories around the fire. Elissa held the small wooden box in her hands. She took a deep breath and walked over to Leliana.

"I got you something. I hope you like it," she offered the box to the bard. "For me?" Leliana's eyes were wide. She opened the box. Inside was a gorgeous pair of Orlesian heels. They were blue silk, covered in sequins, with a small flower on the toe of each shoe. The heels were a sensual, delicate taper. Leliana's heart melted. She threw her arms around Elissa. "Oh, how dear of you! Thank you, so much!"

Leliana pulled back, a small smile forming on her lips. "I've got something for you as well."

"Really?" Elissa asked, "What is it?"

"Well…" Leliana began, "…it has been some time since I left Lothering…"


	6. The Consequences of Curiosity

-The Consequences of Curiosity-

"So…what kind of book are you writing…exactly…" Leliana asked. She glanced around, to be sure Elissa was not within hearing distance. She saw her sitting by the main campfire, talking with Alistair, no doubt about some important, earth-shattering, Blight-quelling business.

"T'is none of your concern, Chantry wench!" Morrigan hissed.

"Oh?" Leliana raised a brow, "then prithee, why have you been hanging around our tent when we're together?"

A tell-tale flush crept up the witch's face. "I-I…have not. I- was …on watch, that night." she explained.

The bard smiled, knowingly. "I can hear, better than you think. I'm a master bard, not just a "Chantry wench", remember?"

Morrigan scoffed, "Tis sickening, the two of you…carousing together when there are more pressing matters at hand."

"Ah," the bard mused, "if it is truly so sickening, then why do you find it so _compelling_, dear witch?" she asked, ripping the book from Morrigan's grasp with deft, quick hands.

Morrigan stole the book back, but not before Leliana's eyes caught sight of an interesting passage.

_{…one can only wonder from the noises emerging from that tent, the actions that are taking place within it…} _

She smiled a knowing smile at the witch.

Morrigan blushed harder and crossed her arms over her chest. "Tis not what you think!" she blurted defensively. "Tis…merely…research…" she offered, her voice trailing off at the weak explanation.

Leliana chuckled and sauntered closer to her. "Oh, you poor dear," she mused, closing the distance between them.

Morrigan tried to back up, but there was nowhere to go, her back was to a tree. _Curses! Damnable tree!_ She flinched reflexively as the bard's hand came up to her cheek. She closed her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. She silently willed the bard to go away, to just disappear, but it was not to be. A strange sensation thrilled her as she felt the lightest, feathery touch upon her face. She carefully dared open her eyes.

Leliana filled her vision, blue eyes and full lips, red hair was all she could see. She swallowed and cursed, the scent of wild flowers filling her nose. The bard spoke softly to her in a most intimate manner.

"It is okay, Morrigan. You are only curious…and it is only _natural_ to be curious of something one has never experienced, no?"

From the look of utter helplessness in the witch's golden eyes, Leliana could only guess at just how innocent she truly was. Of course she had lived quite the sheltered life in the Korcari Wilds, but was she entirely pure? A virgin? It was possible… and yet, why then did she seem so attracted to Alistair? Perhaps the reason for her purity was in fact, a result of her own confusion.

A gleeful smile lit the bard's face. "Come with me!" she said cheerily, grasping the witch's hands and pulling her away from the tree.

"What? Where are you taking me? What is the meaning of this? Unhand me!" Morrigan demanded, pulling her weight back, forcing Leliana to stop, for the smaller woman could not force her along, not if she had wanted to. She wasn't quite _that_ strong.

Leliana pouted, jutting her bottom lip, her brows creased. "Oh, come, Morrigan," she cajoled, "you want to know the answer to your question, don't you?" she prodded. She paused a moment longer, allowing her words to linger in the witch's mind. Then she turned on her heels and walked away.

Soft footsteps followed behind her a moment later, as she had expected, and a wide smile spread across her lips. She walked with a springing step on the balls of her feet back to the tent she shared with the Warden.

* * *

Elissa opened the tent flap and walked inside. She had spent nearly the entire night talking to Alistair about the Blight and now she needed to relax. She needed her bard.

Her jaw dropped at the sight of Morrigan.

'Um,….what's…going on…here?" she questioned the smiling bard, who sat on their bedroll with a wicked grin on her face, looking like the cat who had swallowed the canary.

"Morrigan is eager to learn what we do…" she said simply.

Elissa's brow arched. She cocked her head at the witch who was bound and gagged. The golden eyes said simply…_Help me!_

"Um…why- why is she…tied up…?" Elissa asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer.

"So she cannot run away, of course," the Orlesian's lilting accent mused.

"A-and…why is she _gagged_?"

"Oh, because I'd grown quite tired of her sniping while we were waiting for you, my love." the bard replied.

Elissa's eyes fell to the floor where Morrigan's book lay open. There were half-done sketches of two women, presumably Leliana and herself, engaged in…romantic poses.

"Oh, she's quite good, isn't she, my love?" the bard inquired while she untied Morrigan's hands, "But inspiration requires knowledge, no?" Her eyes shot over to Morrigan, a playful gleam alight in them, "And a good writer…writes what she knows…" A sly smile curled the bard's lips as she placed a quill in Morrigan's hands.

Leliana turned her attentions back to the Warden, claiming her lips in a greedy kiss that left Elissa's head spinning. Her eyes shot a sidelong glance to Morrigan who watched the two, stunned, with a slight blush to her cheeks. The bard pulled away from the Warden for a moment.

"You'd best be quick, if you're going to keep pace with us," she said to the Witch.


	7. The Journal

-The Journal-

Leliana ran her hands over the smooth leather exterior of the slender book. She had found it while rummaging through Elissa's pack earlier. Their leader had asked her to fetch her elfroot while she helped Wynne examine Alistair's wound. A massive Ogre had punched him, crushing ribs and sending him a hundred yards backward to land in a tangle of limbs. They had thought him surely dead and had managed to defeat the beast without him, out of sheer vengeance.

The bard glanced down at the book while the others were busy tending to the templar. She felt a pang of guilt, but it was immediately overridden by curiosity. Here, within this small collection of parchments bound at the spine with animal fat, lay answers to desperate questions.

Leliana had confessed her feelings to Elissa, and the Warden had kissed her passionately in front the entire camp, but since that night several weeks ago, nothing. Not a word.

She slipped into her tent and seated herself comfortably. She opened the book.

_{Dear Journal, _

_{_

_{ Weeks have passed since the fall of Highever. I can still see Howe's beady,_

_{ratlike eyes, sneering at me the last time I saw him. He knew what he was going _

_{to do, and in all honesty, so did I. Somewhere at the back of my consciousness, I _

_{knew. I tried to warn Father. I can still hear Mother's screams haunting me in _

_{my nightmares…}_

Leliana paused, tears stinging at her eyes. This was something Elissa had never spoken of. Not to her, nor anyone else. She quickly turned the page to the next entry.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ Alistair and Morrigan bait each other constantly, trading barbs like small boys _

_{trade marbles. I wonder when they will both realize the strength of their mutual_

_{attraction. I can't imagine anything good would come of it. They seem to _

_{genuinely loathe one another…but it would certainly make for interesting travel}_

The bard smiled. So she was not the only one who suspected as much about the templar and the witch. She looked at the opposite page.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ We reached the town of Lothering. We picked up a few strays there. One of _

_{them is Sten, the qunari warrior. He doesn't say much. Instead he growls and _

_{glares. I suppose it is the way of his people. I am patient, though. In time, I can _

_{learn this silent language of his and perhaps find out more about him._

_{_

_{ Of a more interesting turn is the woman. Leliana. Or so she says her name is._

_{Alistair agrees with me that she is perhaps much more than she claims to be. I _

_{can hardly be expected to believe that a lay sister of the Chantry can fight like _

_{that! _

_{_

_{ Alistair believes her to be a spy. She has admitted to having had a _

_{former life as a bard. I noticed she brought with her a lute. Perhaps she will _

_{sing for us at some point. I would love that.}_

Leliana flipped ahead through entries that told mostly of their battles against the darkspawn and of finding Wynne at the Circle Tower and bringing her along. There was one that caught her eye with the first sentence.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ I find myself growing fonder of the bard. Her accent enchants me. I find myself _

_{seeking excuses to start up conversations with her only to hear it. I have even _

_{managed to convince her to tell me a different story every night. She has _

_{hundreds of them!}_

Leliana was practically beaming now, a wide smile spread across her features. More entries told of their adventures in the Brecilian Wilds and of meeting the Dalish Elves. Ah, here was another interesting one, that mentioned her by name.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ I found a patch of wild Andraste's Grace and picked them. I gave them to_

_{Leliana. She had told me they remind of her of her mother. I planned on finding _

_{some as soon as we could. She seemed so lonely and forlorn, I thought they _

_{might cheer her up. Boy was I ever right! She was so ecstatic, she hugged me _

_{tightly and kissed me on the cheek, thanking me over and over again. When I _

_{gave her the Andraste's symbol I had found in a chest in the mage quarters, she _

_{had not been nearly so enthusiastic in her thanks._

_{_

_{Note to self: Find more Andraste's Grace somewhere!}_

Leliana giggled to herself. She clearly remembered that day. How it had touched her heart that the Warden, so busy with the task of saving the world from certain annihilation, had actually remembered what she had said about her mother's flowers. "Let's see now," the bard muttered to herself as she flipped through more pages, "blah, blah, blah…darkspawn, blah, blah, blah…Redcliffe…blah, blah…Ah, here we go."

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ Today was…odd._

_{_

_{ Leliana made a comment about my hair, of all things…_

_{Then she told me of a noblewoman who wore birds in her hair…Birds! We {shared a laugh over the obvious result of such folly, but then, her tone took on a_

_{more serious air. _

_{_

_{She told me she feels close to me, and enjoys my company! I am thrilled to know_

_{it, but the next words out of my mouth were so very naughty. Am I truly such a _

_{shameless flirt? Do you often enjoy the "company" of other women? I asked _

_{brazenly. And do you know what she replied?!_

_{_

_{Maker, my stomach flips over again just to recall it._

_{_

_{Very much so! She said Very much so!_

_{_

_{I am still as much at a loss for words now as I was earlier.}_

The bard scanned ahead a few more entries.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{ I've lost my mind! That must be it!_

_{_

_{ Leliana told me she feels safe when she wakes and finds me watching over her._

_{Then she said that she trusts me, and wants to be "more than just friends". She _

_{seemed flustered, so I teased her. I told her that she's cute when she's _

_{embarrassed. Maker's Breath, if she only knew, I think she's so much more than_

_{"cute". Lovely, beautiful, fantastic, amazing, sexy, hot, take your pick._

_{_

_{ I confessed to her that I've always hoped for more than friendship with her. I _

_{think I upset her when I said that. She seemed taken aback, as if she had not _

_{expected me to say them. She admitted to her feelings. So, with all the boldness_

_{I could muster, I strode up to her, and kissed her. I KISSED HER!}_

And the last entry.

_{Dear Journal,_

_{_

_{We made a side trip to Denerim to tie up some loose ends. Leliana's former _

_{lover was there….How it pains me to know that vile woman had touched _

_{my dear bard, to know how this woman had betrayed her, hurt her. I could not _

_{keep the words from spilling out of my mouth. It is my fault. Leliana killed her._

_{But the blame shall lay forever with me. And it tears my heart into pieces to_

_{know that she hates me for it._

_{_

_{Maker, is there anything I can do to atone? I just didn't want to have deal with a _

_{madwoman bent on revenge, in addition to the Blight. Leliana should not have to _

_{keep watching over her shoulder at every rustle of a leaf, or snap of a twig._

_{_

_{I see now that she truly did love her. I could only ever hope to one day be half as_

_{special to her. But I have wronged her, and I have caused her this pain. She has_

_{not said a word to anyone since. It has been weeks._

_{_

_{Leliana, I miss you._

_{_

_{I love you._

_{_

_{And I am so very sorry._

_{_

_{Please forgive me. I can't live another day without your smile, your sweet voice._

_{I yearn for your embrace, for the soft, sweet caress of your lips, the scent of your_

_{perfume. You have my heart, completely. I am lost without you.}_

The bard stood, a determined smile on her lips. She peeked out through the flap of her tent. Alistair lay propped against a log. Wynne changed his bandages as Elissa fed him from a bowl of soup. There was a clear path to the leader's tent and the rest of the companions attended other interests. She slowly crept toward Elissa's tent. She slipped inside quietly and placed the leather-bound journal back into the leader's pack. She left as silently as she had entered.

Later that evening, Elissa approached the bard cautiously. " Leliana?" she asked, her voice filled with apprehension.

"Hmm? Something you need?" the bard bit her lip to hide the smirk tugging at her mouth. Just knowing that she had the Warden's number gave her no small amount of confidence. She would play demure if she had to, but she would seduce the Warden, tonight, if she had to pull out all of her tricks.

"I…uh- are you feeling better about what happened with Marjolaine?"

_Ah, yes, of course, she still blames herself_, the bard thought, recalling the Warden's written words, penned in a neat hand, the black ink stark against the parchment. The bard quickly assured the Warden that she was indeed all right, that she was not broken, and that the unfortunate incident had not been the Warden's fault. She appeared relieved. Leliana edged closer to her. She cleared her throat.

"It has been some time since I left Lothering…" she said, "When I stepped out of the cloister, I had no idea where my path would lead. I walked where the Maker led me, and he has rewarded me for my faith…I found you."

The Warden blushed a little. She picked at her nails, ducked her head and said shyly, "I'm glad your path led you here, too,"

Leliana's heart thumped in her chest with giddy joy. "You don't know how it makes me _feel_ to hear you say that," she remarked. Elissa smiled. Leliana decided to guide the conversation toward…other pursuits.

"It's getting late," she said, "I think I'll turn in early. I can't stop thinking about how _soft_ and _warm_ my bedroll is…" she said in her most practiced, sultry voice, hoping the Warden would take the hint.

Elissa looked…disappointed? She quickly shrugged. "Okay, then, I'm going to stay up and write in my journal…goodnight," she said, cheerily.

Leliana had not expected that. It bewildered her a moment. _What? Oh, the journal! _

"Wait!" she called after Elissa had started to walk away. The Warden turned back to her, a questioning look on her face. "I didn't know that you kept a journal," she lied, "or that you wrote in it regularly," another lie, "Perhaps I can help," not a complete lie.

The Warden beamed at her. "All right…thank you!" she cried. She ran to her tent and emerged moments later with her journal and a quill. She jogged back to the bard's side. Leliana subconsciously raised a brow at her. The Warden opened the book to a fresh page and tipped the quill to her tongue to wet the ink. She glanced eagerly at the bard.

Leliana cleared her throat. "Ahem!…Dear Journal…" she began, the Warden wrote almost as fast as the bard spoke, hanging on and copying down her every word, "Leliana has shown much affection for me." The Warden glanced up, ready for more. Leliana swallowed, her heart beating rapidly, and continued, "She has even asked me to come to bed with her…but _alas_, subtlety is lost on me!"

There, it was said.

She waited.

It took a moment, as the Warden first heard the words, registered them, processed them. Leliana watched Elissa's hazel eyes read over the words she had scribed. A smile crept onto the bard's lips as the Warden's eyes widened. She glanced up at the bard, the look on her face was priceless.

"Oh…_now_ she gets it," Leliana teased, "Now come with me, before I lose my patience."

The bard grabbed the bewildered Warden by the hand and led her to her tent. The journal dropped to the ground, the quill landing neatly atop of it, at a diagonal slant.


	8. Winning Isn't Everything

-Winning Isn't Everything-

The men, that is, Alistair, Sten, Zevran, and Ogrhen, all sat around the campfire, exchanging bewildered grunts between each other as they watched the goings on across camp.

Leliana gracefully accepted a small bouquet of Andraste's Grace from Neria Surana, the little Grey Warden mage elf. Her amused voice rang out, drifting lazily on the breeze until it reached the men where they sat. "Oh, how _dear_ of you! Thank you soooo _much_!" she cried, pulling the younger woman in to a vice-like embrace.

Neria, for her part, blushed furiously when she was released from the hug, shuffling her feet on the ground in a nervous fashion. She bowed her head, looking up at the bard with a bashful sort of innocence. "Oh…it-it's nothing-really," here her cheeks burned brighter, "they just- reminded me of you," and now, Alistair thought her face would catch fire by the deep crimson hue that blossomed on her skin from the collar of her robes up to the very tips of her pointed ears.

"Thank you, Neria, I will treasure them always," the bard cooed as she clutched the flowers close to her chest and bent her head down to inhale of their sweet scent. Neria giggled nervously and did that foot-shuffle thing again, before she nodded shyly and wandered off to practice her spells, a newfound spring in her step.

"Did-did you guys…just see that?" Alistair asked the others, jerking a thumb in the direction of the women.

"I believe her approval for our young mage has increased by at least ten points now, no?" Zevran obsevered with a light chuckle.

Alistair scratched his head. "How does she do it?" he wondered aloud, "I couldn't get Neria to give me the time of day, and I even gave her a _rose_! A _red _rose!"

"Baahahhahaha," Ogrhren snorted, spewing a mouthful of ale into the fire as he slapped a leg. "See, yer problem, my boy," he said as he regained his composure and turned his attention to the Templar, "is that yer little Mage Warden over there" he emphasized by pointing her out, " is just like my wife, er…uh…EX-wife, that is," he corrected. "One of _those_ women," the disgruntled dwarf nodded before taking another long swallow of the ever-present pint in his hand.

"Pashara," Sten, who had been quiet up until this moment said with a sneer. "It is…illogical. A woman's place is to create and raise the children," he said, "A woman cannot create children with… a woman." he grunted and snatched the pint from Oghren, downing a long swig without batting a lash.

"Aye, well said brother," Oghren agreed, snatching back his ale from the giant man. His furry brow knotted. "Hm?" He muttered, squinting to peer into the mug as he tipped it upside down. Only one drop came out. He glared at the Qunari, silently vowing revenge on the large man.

"Oh, come now, surely women have more _important_…"uses"…no?" the Antivan suggested with a lecherous grin and an even more lecherous waggling of his eyebrows.

Alistair, innocent that he was, blushed profusely at the blatant innuendo.

"Aye," Oghren agreed with a perverted laugh, "that they do my skinny fellow, but," he leaned close to the others and lowered his voice. "If ya ask me…that _warrior _chick, she's the one I'm voting for," he sighed with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, "Ah, what can I say? She's a woman after my own heart," he laughed heartily and drank another swallow from his pint, though nobody had actually seen when he had filled it back up.

The Antivan raised an elegant brow. "Oh? Would our aesthetically challenged, vertically-lacking, hirsute berserker have a crush?" he asked with a knowing grin.

Oghren's beady little eyes narrowed at the elf. "I'll heer _your _suit with a foot up yer arse, and _my_ vertically ain't lackin' nuthin!" he shouted and lunged at the Antivan. "Understand, skinny, tan, and feminish?"

Zevran merely laughed, a smooth, silky sensation that wound it's way down his spine with it's gentle tenor…

_Wait- WHAT? _

Alistair quickly glanced away from the pair, his cheeks burning hot for reasons he was sure he didn't want to understand. He watched solemnly as the next of Leliana's pursuers made her approach.

"Leliana?"

The bard turned around. "Yes? Something you need?"

Elissa scratched the back of her head in a very anime fashion, complete with (sweat drop!) "The stars are out…" she said. Leliana glanced upward, noting that the Grey Warden she had met in Lothering was quite correct. "It's a lovely night…" the Warden continued. "I was wondering if you'd like to patrol with me after supper. I'd love to hear more of your stories,"

"Of course," Leliana beamed at the woman, "I love stories far too much to keep them to myself,"

"It's a date then?" the warrior noble asked.

Leliana moved in and pulled the blonde close. She flicked her tongue out along the shell of her ear. "You'd better believe it is," she said in a husky tone, "and maybe…if you play your cards right, I'll tell you a _bedtime _story…" With a coquettish grin, she released the Warden with a gentle slap on her butt. The Warden stood there, stunned and grinning foolishly while the flirtatious bard sauntered away. Elissa shook her head and wandered off to polish her sword.

"I-I…don't believe it!" Alistair gasped. "How does she keep _doing_ that? If-if I…if _any_ of us…Elissa…she'd- she'd _castrate_ us! How…?" his voice trailed off in confusion.

"See? I was right!" Oghren exclaimed in triumph. "Pay up, losers," he demanded, sticking his palm out.

"Hmmm," Zevran observed thoughtfully, "there is yet no _proof_, my diminutive friend," he said as he stroked his chin in a sexy way-

Alistair tore his eyes off of the elf and looked over at the dwarf, to distract him from the mysteriously alluring -how in Andraste's knickers?- Antivan.

"Whaddaya mean no proof? She's all over that one!" Oghren retorted.

Zevran gave a flippant shrug, lifting one elegant and well-muscled shoulder with ease-

Alistair immediately brought his wandering attention back to the bard. The other elf, the _wild _one, as the Templar had gotten used to thinking of her, now made her approach to the bard.

"_Lethallin_," she purred in a most sensual voice. She licked her lips, a hungry look in her eyes that made the bard herself blush intensely. "I picked us up a little something in Denerim," she said before throwing her arms around the bard and pulling her into a lover's embrace. She kissed Leliana passionately, until the bard pulled away, gasping for air.

"D-D-Denerim, you say?" the bard choked out, looking more than a little flushed at Lyna's forwardness.

"Mm-hm," the little elf purred, before leaning closer to her, "…let's do it like the Halla do…" she coaxed in a most alluring tone. Leliana could only nod and blush harder at the Grey Warden's offer. A devious smile spread Lyna's lips, "Good…see you tonight, then," she said, sashaying away with a graceful and deliberate sway to her ass and hips.

Later that night…

Morrigan rubbed her eyes groggily as she entered her tent. The sound of giggles and moans didn't register, until it was too late. She stared in horror at the flushed faces of Elissa, Kallian, Lyna, Neria, Solona, and of course, Leliana. It never occurred to her what they were doing in her tent. She could only stare gape-mouthed at all the breasts. So many lithe curves, so much smooth, inviting skin…

* * *

Zevran lazily smoked his pipe as he sat and gazed at the stars. An amused smile split his face at the pile of coins he'd won from betting his male comrades on which of the female Wardens the bard had managed to seduce into her tent. The fact was, he was right, the sly little bard had wooed _ALL_ of them.

Speaking of the vixen, Zevran smiled and patted the grass next to him as the disheveled woman made her weary approach, a lazy smile plastered to her face, eyes fuzzy and dreamlike. She sat down next to the elf and took a puff from his offered pipe, before handing it back with a smile.

"I am curious…" he said, regarding her with his head tilted, "how you managed to…woo so many women, all at once,"

The redheaded bard shrugged, "I've had much practice, Zevran, as you yourself would know,"

He nodded sagely and took another long puff on his pipe. His eye caught the pile of coins that were now his. "Winning is… a beautiful thing, no?"

"This is true," Leliana nodded in agreement, "but, you must remember, Zevran, winning isn't everything…" Leliana laid back on the grass to gaze at the stars with her arms laced behind her head. Zevran shot her a curious glance, one eyebrow arched. The bard winked coyly at him, "..Tis the only thing," The elf threw his head back and laughed.


End file.
